[TWA] #1 Mission : Date
by Dera
Summary: After a number of failed attempts to take Makoto on a successful date, Sage 'kidnaps' Makoto and takes her to the family lodge where they can enjoy an actual date. However, someone wasn't informed that Makoto wasn't kidnapped for pretend...
1. Road-side Abductions

Mission : Date 

> Author's Note : This is the first story in the "Aftermaths" season. It comes about one 
> 
> month after the 10th Warrior.
> 
> Ages : Mia - **17**
> 
> Rowan, Kento, Ryo, Sage, Makoto - **16 **
> 
> Cye - **15 **
> 
> Yuli - **10**
> 
> Mission : Date
> 
> The car rounded the corner with a slight squeal as it's two occupants sat in silence. Sage Date, driving, held an agitated frown on his face while beside him, Makoto Kino sat looking at him in concern.
> 
> "Sage, it's ok. SO the date didn't turn out too well. It's not your fault that the place caught fire," she told him sincerely, laying a hand on his shoulder.
> 
> Sage's eyes narrowed and he took yet a second sharp turn.
> 
> "It's not just that Makoto. This is the fifth date in a row that has gone wrong."
> 
> There was another sharp turn and Makoto frowned a second before shaking her head.
> 
> "They weren't that bad, Sage-kun. Dates aren't normally perfect," she said softly.
> 
> She paused a moment with a smile and kissed his cheek. 
> 
> "Except for you, that is." she whispered.
> 
> Sage blushed and the next turn wasn't quite as sharp, much to Makoto's relief.
> 
> "I don't know Makoto," sighed Sage as he relaxed a little. "Sometimes I think it would just be easier to take you off somewhere where I had complete control, then this thing where we go see a movie where a projector can break or go to a dinner where a waiter drops a still lit shish-ca-bob on you, can happen."
> 
> "Don't worry about it," soothed Makoto, leaning her head on his shoulder while he drove. "Every time with you is perfect to me. No matter what may happen."
> 
> Sage smiled over at her and then focused on driving again. By the time he was pulling up to Mia's home Makoto was fast asleep; her head nestled on his shoulder comfortably. He grinned, thinking to himself of just how pretty and innocent she looked when she was asleep. With a regretful shake of his head he gentle nudged her shoulders with the purpose of waking her up.
> 
> Emerald eyes appeared from the curtained veil of dark lashes and Sage smiled at her, "We're home sleeping beauty."
> 
> She smiled sleepily up at him and he smiled back as she sat up. Moving quickly he got out of the car and went around to her door, opening it for her. Still not quite awake, Makoto got out of the car wordlessly and wrapped her arms around Sage's left arm as he closed the car door.
> 
> "You know," said Sage, drawing Makoto's eyes to his own. "You are right about the date things. After all, tonight could have been worse."
> 
> Abruptly lightning flashed in the night sky and rain began to fall.
> 
> "I don't believe this." said Sage in defeat, leading Makoto to the front door.
> 
> Makoto made a suspicious giggling noise, "You did tempt fate."
> 
> Sage rolled his eyes and continued to the porch where he hurriedly unlocked the door and pushed it open, allowing Makoto to go in first.
> 
> "Sage and Makoto are back!" shouted Yuli's voice from upstairs.
> 
> Rowen's head popped out of the living room and he smiled at the couple.
> 
> "Hey guys. How was your date?"
> 
> **********************************************************************************
> 
> Much later that night after everyone had gone to bed, Sage lay in his bed listening to the storm outside.
> 
> _ "There has to be something I can do with Makoto that won't be ruined by something."_ he thought to himself.
> 
> He turned over onto his side to look out the window and frowned.
> 
> _ "It will have to be some place where I can control the environment ... Where no one else is going to be around to mess up the date ..."_
> 
> He turned onto his back again in agitation as he strove to think of something he could do. After a few minutes of useless ideas he sat up and pressed his hands to his forehead.
> 
> "Who would have thought that planning a date could be so hard! It would be easier to plan on kidnapping her!"
> 
> Suddenly the rain stopped and everything fell silent and an idea came mind.
> 
> "Maybe that would work," he murmured, falling back down onto his pillow.
> 
> Slowly a plan began to form in his head and a slow dark smile formed on his face.
> 
> **********************************************************************************
> 
> ****
> 
> [ ONE WEEK LATER ]
> 
> [ "Dream of Loneliness kinou yori mo takai sora; gin no tsubasa de koete yuku yo; miorosu machi chippokena; tenbyouega e to kawatteku..." ]
> 
> Makoto head bobbed slightly as the perky melody played over her headset as she peddled the bicycle down the winding road from Mia's home. Just as she did every morning since coming to live there, she was out exercising. Only Sage, Cye, and Mia would be up this early. Mia and Cye would be preparing breakfast and Sage was off visiting family.
> 
> ****
> 
> [ "Sayonara wa iwanai to muri ni; hashaideta ano egao wasurenai; Dream of Loneliness hanaretemo; dejitaru na yume o haato de tsunagunosa..." ]
> 
> A van came up behind her as she peddled and she directed the bike as close to the side as was safe and watched as it passed her and continued onwards. Makoto was silently grateful to Rowen for recording this song for her. Cye had written it for his keyboard and gotten Sage to sing with him. The duet was one of the nicest she'd heard in a long time.
> 
> ****
> 
> [ "Dream of Loneliness ikusen no; hizuke o koetemo onaji jidai no senshi sa; hitomi ni fuku kaze ni nori; tokimeku mama ni toki o kakeyo..." ]
> 
> "Cye and Rei should get together some time." she murmured absently. "They both write some cool songs."
> 
> She came around the corner and suddenly found herself smacking into the back of the van from earlier. She cried out in surprise and the sudden stop caused her to loose control of the bike and crashed to the ground. She laid still a moment in disorientation and then began to push herself up.
> 
> A shadow passed over her and Makoto turned her head to see if the owner of the van was coming to help her. However, she instead found herself looking at a man in a black ski mask. Makoto's eyes widened and she began to make a run for it when he leaped forward and caught her right arm.
> 
> "Let me go!" she exclaimed, attempting to use his weight to flip him.
> 
> However, he seemed to anticipate the movement and twisted himself so that her arm ended up pinned behind her back. Her breathing quickened and she attempted to jab her free arm's elbow back into his rib cage. However, he caught the arm before she could fully bring it back into him and forced it up next to the other captive arm.
> 
> _ "What a day to leave my arm orb at home."_ she thought to herself in anger.
> 
> The man began to half shove, half carry her to the van and Makoto began to twist and wiggle.
> 
> "I told you to let me go creep!" she exclaimed again.
> 
> "I'm not letting go of you." rasped the man behind her. "I've had this all planned for days and nothing is going to get in my way. You're going to be all mine."
> 
> Makoto shivered in fear and continued struggling as the man reached the back of the van and opened it with one hand while holding her arms securely with the other.
> 
> "I am going to call for help if you don't let me go!" Makoto said sharply as he forced her into the back.
> 
> "You can try but know one will hear...." started the man but stopped as Makoto kicked him hard in the shins.
> 
> **_ "Guys! Help!" _**Makoto called mentally.
> 
> A cloth was abruptly slapped over her nose and mouth and Makoto breathed in sharply in surprise. An odd odor filled her nostrils and she realized in despair that it was chloroform.
> 
> **_ "Makoto?!"_** called Cye's voice in her mind.
> 
> Unable to focus on a reply as consciousness faded from her she looked up at her captor one last time. Had she been able to, her eyes would have widened in surprise as the man began to remove his ski mask.
> 
> _ "Why?"_
> 
> Makoto lost consciousness and the her captor gently arranged her on a number of pillows before quickly getting out of the back and closing the doors. The others would be there soon and he needed to get away quickly. He climbed into the driver's seat and drove off; not realizing he'd left Makoto's bicycle and headset laying in the road.
> 
> _**T**o ****Be ****C__ontinued_
> 
> Author's Note : The song Makoto was listening to is called "Dream of Loneliness" and is one of the Ronin Warrior songs. It is sung by Cye/Shin and Sage/Seiji. I've included the complete lyrics and the rough translation down below. (The translation was taken from "[The Yoroiden Temple][1]") Please review and tell me what you think. ^_^ 
> 
> kinou yori mo takai sora  
gin no tsubasa de koete yuku yo  
miorosu machi chippokena  
tenbyouega e to kawatteku
> 
> From yesterday, the high sky  
I'll go beyond with silver wings.  
Overlooking a town, so very small  
it could be a sketch.
> 
> SAYONARA wa iwanai to muri ni  
hashaideta ano egao wasurenai
> 
> DREAM OF LONELINESS hanaretemo  
dejitaru na yume o haato de tsunagunosa
> 
> Don't force yourself to say good bye  
Be happy, I won't forget that smiling face.
> 
> Dream of Loneliness Also separated  
My Heart is tied to a digital dream
> 
> DREAM OF LONELINESS ikusen no  
hizuke o koetemo onaji jidai no senshi sa
> 
> hitomi ni fuku kaze ni nori  
tokimeku mama ni toki o kakeyo
> 
> Dream of Loneliness Thousands of  
Even crossing the dates still fighters of the same period
> 
> Blowing in the eye Riding the wind  
As it beats catching up to time
> 
> natsukashisani yowaku naru  
sonna shunkan arukeredo
> 
> sorezore ni ikite yuku no nara  
yuzurenai yume o mochi habata kitai
> 
> I become weak with yearning  
For that instant to be
> 
> If several lives go  
Hold the unyielding dream I want to flap my wings
> 
> DREAM OF LONELINESS massuguni  
kono sora o musubu mabushii kokorotachi
> Dream of Loneliness right before you  
Dazzling hearts bind this sky
> 
> DREAM OF LONELINESS kizutsuite  
hitori miru yume ga ashita o sasaeteru
> Dream of Loneliness wounded  
Dream of one person supports tomorrow
> 
> DREAM OF LONELINESS hanaretemo  
dejitaru na yume o haato de tsunagunosa
> Dream of Loneliness Also separated  
My Heart is tied to a digital dream
> 
> DREAM OF LONELINESS ikusen no  
hizuke o koetemo onaji jidai no senshi sa
> Dream of Loneliness Thousands of  
Even crossing the dates still fighters of the same period

   [1]: http://www.theria.net



	2. Earning a Kidnapping....

Mission

> Mission : Date (Part 2)
> 
> Cye knelt down beside the slightly damaged bicycle and shook his head, "Kento's not going to be happy about his bicycle."
> 
> "He never used it anyways." said Rowen holding Makoto's head set in his hand. "I'm not extremely worried about Makoto either. She should be fine. It's Sage who we need to worry about. When he gets back and finds out Makoto's gone, he's going to be extremely T'd."
> 
> Ryo snorted, "You could say that again and from what Mia told me, Sage is planning on taking Makoto somewhere."
> 
> Ryo looked out over the surrounding forestlands below and frowned.
> 
> "You and Cye should go on after them and I'll take the bike and I'll wait here for Mia and Kento." said Rowen suddenly.
> 
> "That might be best. We may never find them if we don't move soon." agreed Cye. "It's been half an hour since Makoto called."
> 
> Ryo nodded in agreement and Rowen took the headset from Cye.
> 
> "Contact me every ten minutes so we can keep track of each other." instructed Rowen as Cye and Ryo turned to leave.
> 
> Ryo casually waved back at the archer to let him know he would and then quickly took off full speed with Cye. Rowen sighed and leaned against the handlebars of the bicycle as he watched his friends run off in their sub armor. Yes, if Sage knew
> 
> he'd hunt down the kidnappers and use his sword to slowly peel of their skin. The though made him flinch and he felt a small pang of sympathy for the poor fools.
> 
> Meanwhile, Cye had stopped on a peak and noticed a sudden rise of the bird population from the north.
> 
> "Ryo!" he shouted. "Over there!"
> 
> Ryo, not realizing Cye had stopped, turned around and made his way back quickly. Standing next to Cye, his blue eyes narrowed and took in the scene.
> 
> "That must be them. They're at least an hour ahead of us," he said after a moment of calculation.
> 
> "Then lets go," said Cye leaping from the cliff side and shouted. "Must not keep Makoto waiting."
> 
> Ryo grinned and jumped after his friend, "I'm with you!"
> 
> **********************************************************************************
> 
> Makoto's head banged down and she groaned softly, turning on the bed of pillows to continue her slumber. However, there was a larger jolt that sent half of her body up into the air and back down abruptly and her green eyes flew open in confusion.
> 
> _ "What's going on?"_
> 
> Sitting up slightly, she found herself on a number of pillows in a vehicle. For a moment she struggled to remember why she was there and then she remembered her sudden road side abduction.
> 
> _ "He is soooo going to get it,"_ she mused sourly.
> 
> She pushed herself up a little more so she could see over the middle seat and saw that her captor was still driving, oblivious to the fact that his captive had awaken. She laid back down on her side and stared at the back of the van. A small smirk crossover her face and she gently scratched her chin.
> 
> _ "Question is. Do I give into curiosity and see where he's taking me, or do I make him earn this kidnapping?"_
> 
> The smirk grew into a semi-evil grin and she slowly used her hands to pull herself to the back of the van on her belly. With one hand she slowly lifted the latch and carefully pushed it open an inch.
> 
> _ "Now, once he comes to ..."_
> 
> However, any further planning was cut off sharply as the van bounced again and her hand lost it's hold on the door. Instantly the door swung outward and she heard a sharp cry of alarm from her driver.
> 
> "Now or never."
> 
> Makoto pushed herself to her feet quickly and jumped out the door, landing on the ground in a roll that momentarily knocked the wind from her. A few seconds later the van breaks were screeching and the birds gave flight as the dust rose on the road.
> 
> _ "Must get away,"_ she chanted to herself as she leaped to her feet and took off running into the woods.
> 
> "Come back!" shouted her ex-captor as he took chase.
> 
> Makoto grinned and ignored him, pressing herself to run faster. When she felt that she had lost him in the woods she slowed a bit and looked back.
> 
> "Well that was easy," she laughed. "I didn't think he'd give up so fast."
> 
> Abruptly the bushes parted from where she'd just comes from and she caught sight of her captor who was no dressed in sub armor. Her grin vanished as her eyes widened and she turned and ran. She could hear him gaining on her quickly and struggled to think of a way to loose him.
> 
> _ "I didn't count on him having his sub armor with him!"_
> 
> She felt a small breeze to her right and saw an armor clad hand grasp at her. She gasped and ducked and the young man tripped over her and to the ground. Straightening up she laughed and took to running again while a new idea came to mind.
> 
> "Jupiter, Crystal Power, Make-Up!"
> 
> A bright light encompassed her mid-run and left just as suddenly, leaving Makoto running in an emerald green sailor fuku very much like the one Eternal Sailor Moon wore. Instantly, her speed was increased and she easily eluded her captor as he took chase again.
> 
> _ "He won't be able to catch me so easily now," _she thought with a smug grin, glancing back to where she'd left him.
> 
> However, he was no longer in sight and Eternal Jupiter frowned in concern.
> 
> _ "What is he up to now?"_ she cast a second glance around and started running north. _"Best not stick around to find out just yet."_
> 
> **********************************************************************************
> 
> "Looks like they headed north." said Cye, running a hand of the broken foliage at the side of the road.
> 
> **_ "There's a lot of privately owned summer homes of rich executives in that direction." _**informed Rowen's voice. **_"It's possible he's taking Makoto there to hide out for a while."_**
> 
> "How does he know that people even know Makoto's been kidnapped yet?" challenged Cye, raising a brow.
> 
> **_ "It's just a possibility."_** returned Rowen, sounding slightly annoyed.
> 
> "I think it may be more than a simple kidnapping." said Ryo suddenly from where the car was sitting. "Check this out."
> 
> Cye walked over to the parked van and his eyes widened, "Those are armored footprints."
> 
> **_ "Think the Dynasty's back,"_** asked Kento in anger.
> 
> **_ "Could be. Kayura was just over yesterday telling us that everything was going well,"_** interjected Rowen.
> 
> "I agree with Rowen on that." said Cye. "I trust Kayura would alert us if there was even the slightest sign of trouble."
> 
> **_ "Cye, your kanji is trust," _**pointed out Kento. **_"You'd trust anyone."_**
> 
> Cye prepared to snap back a retort about being hard-headed when Ryo laid a hand on his shoulder and shook his head.
> 
> "I don't think it's Dynasty either, but if we fight among ourselves we'll never find out for sure. Rowen and Kento; Cye and I are going to follow them as best we can. Try to meet us as soon as you can."
> 
> **_ "Sorry Ryo. We'll be there A.S.A.P."_**
> 
> The link closed and Ryo chuckled at Cye's slightly red face, "You to fight about the strangest things."
> 
> Cye rolled his eyes and mumbled something indiscernible and Ryo pushed his way through the bushes.
> 
> "Let's go Cye. Let's try to find Makoto before Sage knows what happened."
> 
> **********************************************************************************
> 
> Running parallel to his target, the young man smirked to himself. Who'd have thought that she would be so obliging as to run towards the lodge he was taking her to. This would make things so much easier. Especially since he wouldn't have to worry to much about the others following the van.
> 
> Makoto paused a second and looked around and he watched as her eyes tried to spot him. It was an nearly impossible thing to do with the color he was wearing. Fortunately for him, the emerald green of her senshi uniform was not a hard color to follow in this forest.
> 
> _ "I bet this is driving her nuts."_ he thought with a silent laugh. _"Everything is going perfectly despite the fact that I'm not actually taking her there."_
> 
> Makoto started running again and he once again fell into step a couple yards away.
> 
> "Soon she'll reach the lodge and when she looks for help, I'll show Makoto what I have planned for her."


	3. What Happens When the Kidnapped Maiden W...

Part 3

Makoto's light hearted laughter echoed through the trees as she gracefully ran around trees and leaped over the bushes in her path and she reveled in the feeling of power that hummed through her body. It was a sensation that she always received when she was wearing her sailor fuku. The magic's enhancing her natural strengths trice the norm, allowing her to run faster then she ever could even when she was wearing her armor.

She was almost lost to her surroundings, enjoying her run, when she suddenly leaped into an unexpected clearing over some tall shrubs. She came to an almost immediate stand still, causing dirt to shoot up around her like a cloud of smoke and stared straight forward in surprise. The dirt settled slowly around her and she observed a homely looking cabin standing in the middle of the clearing.

"Maybe I can call Mia from there, and tell her not to worry about me." she murmured, and her uniform vanished in a shower of glitter and ribbons.

Left in her biking shorts, a long green shirt, and white high tops, she headed for the house in a light sprint. When she reached the door she quickly rapped her knuckles on it's center. Instantly the door swung open and Makoto stepped back in surprise. However, no one appeared at the door and only a dark hallway was there to meet her gaze.

"Hello?" she called nervously. "Anybody home?"

No answer returned and Makoto stepped into the hallway. Then, running a hand over the wall, she located the light switch and turned on the hallway lights.

"Please, if anyone's here," called Makoto again. "I need to use a phone!"

Cautiously she walked down the hallway and winced when one step caused a floor board to squeak ominously.

_ "I feel like I'm a burglar or something."_

Passing two doorways, she came to one at the end of the small hall that was dimly lit by a partially opened curtain. Seeing it was a kitchen, she walked in all the way to see if there was a phone in the room. Sure enough, next to the refrigerator was phone hanging on the wall.

"Alright! Now I can call Mia," Makoto cheered, moving towards the phone.

Abruptly the overhead lights flickered on. Makoto gasped in fright and turned around, to see her captor standing in the doorway in his sub armor.

"I thought I'd lost you," she exclaimed in surprise.

Sage chuckled, "You did a few times, but I am very familiar with these woods."

"So you knew I was headed towards this place all along," said Makoto with a bitter smile.

"It's were I wanted you to go. I had it all planned, even though you woke up before I thought you would and escape," affirmed Sage as he walked over to her.

"Why did you abduct me in the first place?" asked Makoto watching his sub armor vanish to leave him standing in slacks and a white dress shirt.

Sage gently pulled her towards him so she was looking into his eyes and smiled fondly at her.

"I wanted to surprise you and kidnapping you seemed to be the easiest way to do it."

Makoto sighed and rolled her eyes, "I guess I'd be lying to say I wasn't surprised to be kidnapped, but I think you're still crazy."

Sage chuckled and slipped his arms around her waste.

"Only about you, Mako-koneko." ****

Makoto blushed and buried her head in his shoulder.

"This doesn't explain why you kidnapped me, Sage." she murmured into his shoulder.

"I did it so we could have a perfect date together. The plan was to get you and bring you here for an evening where I could treat you to a special dinner I'd make and then be able to watch the stars under that sakura tree in the back," Sage explained softly, and began to absently run a hand through the hair hanging from her pony tale. "When I was younger, my parents would sit out under the tree together after they thought I'd been put to bed."

Makoto's pulled her head from Sage's shoulder and smiled at him with glimmering eyes.

"You'd share something like that with me?"

Sage kissed her forehead gently, "Not only that. Would you like to see the rest of the lodge?"

Makoto nodded almost shyly and Sage extended an arm to her, which she excepted and they exited the kitchen.

*******************************************************************************************

The gentle sounds of the evening wind in the trees and the chirping of crickets floated about the clearing that Cye and Ryo stood watching.

**_ "Any ideas of how we can get into the house without the kidnapper hearing or seeing us and hurting Mako-chan?"_**

Ryo shook his head while his eyes stayed locked on the house.

**_ "Not yet. Though there is a window on the east side of the house that looks promising."_**

Ryo's peripheral vision tracked Cye's shadowed form as it darted towards the house and to the said window.

**_ "No good. It's some kind of storage room filled with boxes. We'd knock them over going in this way."_**

Ryo frowned and once again tracked Cye's retreat from the house and into the trees.

**_ "Hey guys! We're here!"_**

Cye and Ryo winced at the mental exclamation from Kento and their eyes instinctively swiveling to the right where Kento and Rowen now stood wearing amused grins.

**_ "Gees Kento,"_** hissed Cye. **_"You don't have to project to loud."_**

Kento smirked and Ryo and Rowen shook their heads.

**_ "Fi... talk about it later. Right now we need to get in there and get Makoto out."_**

Ryo glared at Kento and then at Cye to prove his point and they both found themselves shifting guiltily. Rowen chuckled to himself and then looked at the cabin where Makoto was being held.

**_ "Do you know what room Makoto is in?"_**

**_ "Last we checked, she was in the kitchen. Ryo says that someone was in the corner cooking something, but he couldn't see who it was."_**

Rowen nodded and moved off into the darkness and three sets of eyes watched him circle around to the kitchen window and slowly peer in before abruptly pulling away and running back to the cover of the trees.

**_ "She's still there. She's eating something right now. I looked for the other guy, but I could see him."_**

**_ "At least she's still there. Maybe would should just storm the house and hope he's too stunned to do anything."_**

_** "That's a pretty risky tactic, Kento."**_

"Can you think of a better idea, Ryo?"

Ryo didn't say anything for a moment and then shook his head.

**_ "I don't want to try anything just yet. For now, everyone take positions around the back of the cabin. If the person that kidnapped Makoto comes out, we'll rush him."_**

The three other Ronins nodded in agreement and split off. 

It was about an hour later, and Cye yawned softly into his hand and glared at the cabin.

"This is getting rather tiresome." he grumbled, crossing his arms and leaning back against a tree.

**_ "Back door is opening, everyone!"_**

Cye immediately pushed himself off of the tree and his green/blue eyes narrowed as he watched the door. sure enough it was open and a tall girl with her hair in a pigtail came out the door, followed by a male. However, the light right behind him, made it impossible to see the kidnapper's face clearly. A small voice began to nag him in the back of his mind, telling him that he'd seen this kidnapper before and he struggled to place the silhouette to a name.

**_ "Everyone move in!"_**

Cye began to run forward and he watched as the kidnapper shoved Makoto to the ground and stood over her in a protective stance. Cye skidded to a stop and watched in surprise as the kidnapper easily met Kento's initial attack with a block and flipped him away from himself and then do the same to Ryo and Rowen in turn.

"His fighting style is just like...." he murmured and then gasped. "Guys! Stop attacking him!"

*******************************************************************************************

"After you Hime," said Sage politely, holding the back door for Makoto. ****

She beamed at him and stepped out the door, and he smiled to himself. So far the date was going perfectly. He and Makoto had enjoyed a traditional Japanese meal with soft piano music from a cd player in the background. Makoto smiled at him expectantly from the doorway and Sage's breath caught as he took in the image of ethereal beauty as the moon seemed to center right behind her, casting a faint blue light around her.

"Coming?" she asked softly, as if sensing that anything louder then a whisper could break whatever magic hung in the air around them.

Sage nodded and had he been in Makoto's shoes, he would have seen the light of the moon reflected in his eyes in an almost unearthly way. Instead, he saw her shiver and instantly moved to her side and slide and arm around her waste.

"What did I do to deserve such an angel of light?" he asked himself inwardly as he led her towards the tree.

Suddenly a loud cry rang through the air and Sage became aware of four swiftly approaching shadows.

"Get down!" cried Sage, pushing Makoto down to the ground and pulling out his armor orb.

Instantly his sub armor appeared on him and he felt the pure power surge through his body as he stood over his stunned girlfriend protectively. Fighting instincts turned on, his right arm raised and connected with one of his attackers who had thrown a hard punch at him. Then with a low growl, he grabbed the offender's arm and flung him up into the air and a few yards away from himself. A split second later he'd managed to do the same to two other attackers.

"Guys! Stop attacking him!" shouted a familiar voice from the fourth shadow that had yet to attack.

"Cye?" exclaimed Sage in total surprise.

Makoto crawled out from under him and stood up next to him. Both stared in shock as Ryo, Kento, Rowen, and Cye walked over to them

with faces ranging from anger to amusement.

"What are you guys doing here?" asked Sage after a few moments of shared silence.

"Um ... We came to rescue Makoto." mumbled Ryo in confusion.

Makoto gasped beside him and covered her mouth.

"I forgot all about you guys!"

Rowen smirked slightly, "It's nice to know you missed us too."

"We heard Makoto's call for help through the armor link," informed Cye when Sage looked at him inquisitively.

Sage blinked in surprise and looked over at Makoto, barely making out the faint blush of embarrassment on her face.

"It's not like I recognized you when you captured me," she defended, with a slight wave of her hands.

Once again there was a fall of silence and Kento shifted uncomfortably.

"Uh, Sage. Do you have anything to eat? We didn't really eat anything today."

Sage looked at Kento incredulously and Makoto bit her lower lip, waiting for him to grow angry. Sage's eyebrow quirked upwards and unexpectedly, he began to laugh. Five pairs of eyes widened and stared in shock.

"I think he's lost it," whispered Rowen. "I thought he'd be angry for sure!"

"Sage, are you alright," asked Makoto in concern, lightly tapping his shoulder.

He stopped laughing but continued smiling as he looked at her.

"I'm fine. This is so ridiculous, it's funny," he laughed, taking her hand and shacking his head in mirth. "Let's all go inside and I'll give you guys something to eat."

*******************************************************************************************

An hour after four shadows once again vanished into the forest, Makoto and Sage sat down under the sakura tree in the backyard and stared up through it's branches at the stars above.

"Sage, you're not really upset about the guys showing up, are you?"

Sage murmured softly and shook his head.

"I'm not really upset. A majority of it was just like I'd hoped and went smoothly. I think that what happened could have been a lot worse."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. The other's might have called in Kayura and the Warlords."

Makoto looked up at Sage from where her head rested on his lap and giggled.

"You do remember your birthday is coming up in two weeks?" he asked suddenly, looking up at the sky again.

"Of course I do. It's my birthday after all," she responded, laughing quietly. "You're not thinking of kidnapping me again?"

"No. I think it would be easier to ask you out at this point. That, and I think the guys wouldn't be too happy with me."

Makoto laughed and then closed her eyes with a contented sigh.

"Did you enjoy our date?"

Makoto nodded, leaving her eyes closed for the moment.

"It was great," she whispered with a smile. "It was one of the best days of my life. I don't think I've been this happy since my parents were alive."

Sage smiled and ran a hand over the side of her face reflectively.

"I'm glad."

Makoto's eyes opened and she smiled adoringly up at him, her eyes locking with his.

"You know, I wouldn't mind it if you kidnapped me again some time."

Sage chuckled and pulled her up into a sitting position.

"How about next week?"

"It's a date."

Sage gently kissed Makoto and a faint breeze sent sakura blossoms raining down on them.

"Aishiteru, Itooshi," Sage whispered as he pulled away from her with a fond smile.

"Aishiteru," returned Makoto softly, laying back against him. ****

They sat together watching the stars till they both fell asleep, laying comfortably beside one another.

*******************************************************************************************

**Mako-koneko -** Sage calls Makoto this. It's basically a nick name I thought would be cute. Koneko is "kitten" in Japanese if I remember correctly.

**Hime -** Another knick-name Sage calls Makoto. Hime is "Princess" in Japanese if I am right.

**Aishiteru -** I Love You

**Itooshi -** My love

*******************************************************************************************

Author's Note : Well, there it is. I wanted to post it a few days ago, but that wasn't going to happen. So now, it's posted. I actually am a bit happy with this ending. However, I won't be hurt if someone reviews and says it's crummy. Just, if you do, explain why for me, so I know not to do that in the future! Kay? ~_^ Anyways. I hope you like it.


End file.
